Old vets wearing medals, but where?

[garfyboy]

Hi folks 

I’ve just picked up this lovely card of Great War vets wearing their medals and I’m interested to know where they may be?

 

The card is by LILIAN REAM of WISBECH so I would presume it’s Wisbech ?

the shop in the background is The London central meat co ltd but I’m unable to find one of those in Wisbech but there are others in other cities/towns

Also, the tall chap at the forefront of the image, he looks like possibly a royal or vip?

would love to hear your thoughts 

Andy

 

[Michelle Young]

Reckon that’s Prince George, Duke of Kent, so photo before August 1942 as that’s when he was killed. 

[PRC]

Tried doing a search of the British Newspapers for "British London Meat" and "Wisbech" and there are a number of matches - mainly 1920's.

Just above the Players No.3 awning advert on the Tobacconists next door, its just about possible to make out something that could be a proprietors name - possibly starting with 'H' and ending with 'son'. Again BNA has some adverts for select smoking products available as quality tobacconists like Messrs Hudson, of 53 High Street, Wisbech. (Lynn Advertiser December 18 1925).

I don't subscribe so can't tell how accurate those transcriptions are - this is the British Newspaper Archive after all

Cheers,
Peter

 

[garfyboy]

30 minutes ago, Michelle Young said:

Reckon that’s Prince George, Duke of Kent, so photo before August 1942 as that’s when he was killed. 

Thanks Michelle, I think you are correct, he did visit Wisbech 2nd June 1932, I just found a short video on the internet of that visit, looks to be him and similar shops with balconies above

much appreciated 

andy

 

 

28 minutes ago, PRC said:

Tried doing a search of the British Newspapers for "British London Meat" and "Wisbech" and there are a number of matches - mainly 1920's.

Just above the Players No.3 awning advert on the Tobacconists next door, its just about possible to make out something that could be a proprietors name - possibly starting with 'H' and ending with 'son'. Again BNA has some adverts for select smoking products available as quality tobacconists like Messrs Hudson, of 53 High Street, Wisbech. (Lynn Advertiser December 18 1925).

I don't subscribe so can't tell how accurate those transcriptions are - this is the British Newspaper Archive after all

Cheers,
Peter

 

Thanks for that peter

 

i dont subscribe either but if you see Michelle’s post above I’m sure this is Wisbech and Prince George, Duke of kent

 

thanks

andy

[garfyboy]

34 minutes ago, Michelle Young said:

Reckon that’s Prince George, Duke of Kent, so photo before August 1942 as that’s when he was killed. 

[PRC]

2 hours ago, garfyboy said:

Thanks Michelle, I think you are correct, he did visit Wisbech 2nd June 1932, I just found a short video on the internet of that visit, looks to be him and similar shops with balconies above

I think those could be generic shop fronts so could still be anywhere, but I do think there are some elements of the newsreel that could go a long way to show that the picture was taken at the same event. I've taken a couple of screenshots at the best resolution I could manage.

In the top row consider the uniforms of the bandsmen in the screen capture and the bandsmen standing outside the tobacconist in your photograph - looks a reasonably good match to me.
And in the bottom row where Prince George is reviewing the Veterans on parade notice the hats and relative heights of the individuals in the front row in the screen capture. Starting with the standard bearer he is wearing a light coloured fedora style with a darker band round it. On his right is a slightly taller man in a bowler hat. Next to him is a much smaller man in a cloth cap, then another man of nearly the same height wearing a dark fedora \ homburg,  (possibly not visible in your photograph as he is leaning backwards),  next a couple of slightly taller men with the fedora style, then a slightly shorter man in a bowler hat and finally a much taller man in a light coloured fedora with an even lighter colour band. Turn to your photograph and I believe you will see this repeated as you work from right to left.

Finally the flunkey \ equerry \ adc walking slightly behind the Prince in the photograph. Although you can't see the chest full of medals in the screen capture, elements like hair-parting and style appear to be common to both.

No new IP is claimed for the above and all image rights, if any, remain with the current owners.

Stills from the 1932 visit of Prince George to Wisbech courtesy The British Film Institute. https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-hrh-prince-george-at-wisbech-1932-online

Cheers,
Peter

Edited 27 May , 2024 by PRC
Typo

[garfyboy]

1 hour ago, PRC said:

I think those could be generic shop fronts so could still be anywhere, but I do think there are some elements of the newsreel that could go a long way to show that the picture was taken at the same event. I've taken a couple of screenshots at the best resolution I could manage.

In the top row consider the uniforms of the bandsmen in the screen capture and the bandsmen standing outside the tobacconist in your photograph - looks a reasonably good match to me.
And in the bottom row where Prince George is reviewing the Veterans on parade notice the hats and relative heights of the individuals in the front row in the screen capture. Starting with the standard bearer he is wearing a light coloured fedora style with a darker band round it. On his right is a slightly taller man in a bowler hat. Next to him is a much smaller man in a cloth cap, then another man of nearly the same height wearing a dark fedora \ homburg,  (possibly not visible in your photograph as he is leaning backwards),  next a couple of slightly taller men with the fedora style, then a slightly shorter man in a bowler hat and finally a much taller man in a light coloured fedora with an even lighter colour band. Turn to your photograph and I believe you will see this repeated as you work from right to left.

Finally the flunkey \ equerry \ adc walking slightly behind the Prince in the photograph. Although you can't see the chest full of medals in the screen capture, elements like hair-parting and style appear to be common to both.

No new IP is claimed for the above and all image rights, if any, remain with the current owners.

Stills from the 1932 visit of Prince George to Wisbech courtesy The British Film Institute. https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-hrh-prince-george-at-wisbech-1932-online

Cheers,
Peter

Well spotted and well captured, there’s absolutely no doubt that this is the same scene especially the man with the hair parting, same shirt/tie combo, band etc

 

thanks Peter 👏🏼 

 

andy

[travers61]

The location of the photo is Market Place, Wisbeech.  In the 1916 Kellys Directory of Cambridgeshire  Herbert Hudson, Tobacconist is at no 32, and the London Central Meat Company Ltd is at no 33.  No 32 is currently occupied by TUI (formerly Thomson & before that Lunn Poly) Travel Agency. It makes sense that the parade would have been there as even today it seems the largest paved area within the town centre.

More modern images in these links

https://www.alamy.com/wisbech-market-place-parade-of-shops-including-lunn-poly-travel-agents-image1910216.html

https://www.webbaviation.co.uk/aerial/picture.php?/788

Travers

 

Edited 27 May , 2024 by travers61

[garfyboy]

On 27/05/2024 at 21:56, travers61 said:

The location of the photo is Market Place, Wisbeech.  In the 1916 Kellys Directory of Cambridgeshire  Herbert Hudson, Tobacconist is at no 32, and the London Central Meat Company Ltd is at no 33.  No 32 is currently occupied by TUI (formerly Thomson & before that Lunn Poly) Travel Agency. It makes sense that the parade would have been there as even today it seems the largest paved area within the town centre.

More modern images in these links

https://www.alamy.com/wisbech-market-place-parade-of-shops-including-lunn-poly-travel-agents-image1910216.html

https://www.webbaviation.co.uk/aerial/picture.php?/788

Travers

 

Apologies for the late reply, I have been away.

thats fabulous, thank you, it’s so nice to place this image now, next time I’m in the area I will have a good look around

[garfyboy]

On my way back from a weekend in Norfolk I popped into Wisbech on the home, I visited the market place and took an image of the same view today!!!

So much for progress